Historic North Head
Alert/Important notice
Temporary closure of a section of the Coastal Track
A section of the Coastal Track around North Head, between Lover's Cove and the stone steps (part-way around the coastal track) will be temporarily closed for work from Monday 19 March for a 10 week period.
The closure is to ensure the safety of the public while construction work takes place on this section of the track.
Please follow the detour signs and orange markers.
North Head is a small strategic headland at the mouth of Auckland's Waitemata Harbour. Its commanding views over the Hauraki Gulf and inner harbour have made it an important lookout and defence site for centuries, first for early Maori inhabitants and later for European settlers.
North Head was one of a number of defence forts that were rapidly set up in the late 1800s to defend Auckland from a feared Russian attack. The fort was later expanded as part of Auckland's coastal defence system during World Wars I and II.
2010 marked the 125th anniversary of the Barracks Building at the summit of North Head
A complex of tunnels, guns, searchlights and other fortifications make this a fascinating area to explore. It is now a historic reserve managed by the Department of Conservation.
North Head (named Maungauika by Maori) is a taonga with many special places. The tangata whenua have a spiritual, cultural and historical relationship with their taonga.